Royal Oak Wrongful Death Attorney

Direct Attorney Guidance for Michigan Wrongful Death Claims

A death caused by another party’s alleged negligence can raise immediate questions about liability, evidence, insurance coverage, and who has authority to act for the estate. At Garrison Law , we review the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident, identify potentially responsible parties, and explain the legal options available under Michigan law.

Important records and physical evidence can become harder to obtain over time. We can investigate the incident while helping the family determine whether a personal representative has been appointed and what losses may be claimed by the estate and eligible family members.

Your family’s loss deserves more than a form letter response. Call our Royal Oak wrongful death attorneys directly at (888) 455-2115 and request a free in-person or virtual consultation today.

Incidents That May Qualify as Wrongful Death

Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act (MCL 600.2922), a claim may arise when a person’s wrongful act, neglect, or fault causes a death under circumstances that would have supported a legal action if the deceased person had survived. Liability depends on the underlying facts, including whether a party owed a legal duty, breached that duty, and caused the fatal injury.

Potential sources of wrongful death liability include:

• Motor vehicle and truck accidents. Drivers, trucking companies, vehicle owners, and other parties may need to be investigated.
• Workplace and industrial accidents. Safety procedures, equipment records, employment relationships, and third-party conduct may affect liability.
• Nursing home negligence. A claim may involve inadequate care, delayed treatment, unsafe conditions, or failures to follow a resident’s care plan.
• Premises liability incidents. Fatal falls, inadequate security, and dangerous property conditions may support a claim when the evidence establishes legal responsibility.
• Medical malpractice. Fatal medical errors require careful review of treatment records, the applicable standard of care, and causation.
• Defective products. Manufacturers, distributors, and sellers may face claims involving unsafe designs, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings.
• Government misconduct. Claims involving a public agency can present additional immunity, notice, and filing issues that require prompt review.

Our attorneys evaluate the cause of death and each potentially responsible party rather than assuming liability from the type of incident alone. We handle wrongful death matters for families in Royal Oak, throughout the Detroit metro area, and across Michigan.

Who Can File a Michigan Wrongful Death Lawsuit?

The personal representative of the deceased person’s probate estate files the wrongful death lawsuit. A spouse, child, parent, or other relative doesn’t automatically have authority to bring the case individually. If the probate court hasn’t appointed a personal representative, opening an estate and obtaining letters of authority may be necessary before the lawsuit can proceed in the proper form.

The person authorized to file isn’t necessarily the only person who may recover damages. Depending on the family structure and estate documents, eligible claimants may include a surviving spouse, children, descendants, parents, grandparents, siblings, certain beneficiaries named in a will, and heirs under Michigan law.

The personal representative must follow statutory procedures for notifying people who may be entitled to damages. We can help identify those individuals, document their relationships and losses, and address questions about the estate’s authority early in the process.